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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
| Tiercel's Peregrinations | |
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| Topic Started: Jan 10 2017, 09:00 PM (4,184 Views) | |
| neildarkstar | Jan 15 2017, 12:19 PM Post #41 |
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Overlord
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First, I'm loving this tale... Action, intrigue, suspense, and all the right things needed to inspire the imagination. Really great! Y'know, what's funny here is that I recognize that hole with the trap door setup and all... but I can't really think of what fortress it's in. I mean, I know this is dream stuff, but there is a "real" Skyrim twin, eh? :) About the forum and threads... I really wish this forum was like Wolflore in one respect. There, you can click a link to "Unread Forums" and every thread you haven't read that's ever been created will show up. The first time in, if you select "Mark all forums read" you can empty it, but from then on every post you haven't read will turn up. Read what you want, mark the rest as read each time, and you never miss a thing. |
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| Serethil | Jan 15 2017, 06:09 PM Post #42 |
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Et'Ada
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Are you thinking of Fort Sungard? There's an oubliette there.... that opens onto the road near where you turn to go to Sunderstone Gorge. And thanks! Yes, and if this was phpbb - you can just bookmark Unread Posts and every one ever shows up, and you can mark all read to clear like that so from then on you get exactly what you haven't read. Maybe Wolflore runs on phpbb? I don't think I've ever been there.... |
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| Serethil | Jan 15 2017, 08:03 PM Post #43 |
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Et'Ada
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7 - How am I going to walk to Whiterun on bare feet? Good question. An hour on the way, and I’m limping like crazy, and leaving blood smears. If I had a weapon, I could kill something and skin it to come up with makeshift footgear. But I don’t have a weapon. I was sitting on a rock by a stream with my feet in the water - and it was COLD water. Unfortunately, the stream didn’t head northeast so I wasn’t going to be able to follow it any further. So I set off again, heading more or less northeast. I stubbed my feet on rocks, which added to the pain and the limping. I didn’t turn onto a road when I found one - it would be safer, considering all the things I didn’t know about my situation to stay in the wild edges off to one side. And when I heard a horse on the road, I knew I’d made a good choice - I hunkered down behind the brush, and wiggled a small opening to see through. I certainly didn’t want to be in full view - since I hadn’t any idea who might be looking for me. I sure hoped the horse didn’t scent me.... I wasn’t really far off the road.... and maybe it wasn’t far enough. Too late now to move farther away. I picked up a hunk of wood to use as a club if I had to - better than fists anyway. And then I peeked through my little opening - to see a peddler on foot with his horse following behind. And suddenly, a man jumped out in front of him from the other side of the road, banging a sword on his shield, and yelling for the peddler to give over his coin! Well, damn. What an opening! I leaped up, ran down the way to just past the bandit, then slithered into the road behind him, and bashed him over the head with the hunk of wood. The peddler calmly walked up and cut his throat with a dagger. And then I collapsed - my feet were never going to be the same.... The peddler looked me over pretty carefully before saying “Thanks for the help. I’ve got some goods to sell if....” I shook my head. “I just escaped from a kidnapper, and I don’t have any gold - or even shoes. And somehow I need to get to Whiterun....” I stared gloomily at my bleeding feet. “If you don’t mind, I’d like the bandit’s sword, as I am unarmed.” “Well, then. I’ll put you on the horse, and take you along. I was making for Whiterun myself. And yah, take what you want off the body - you need it more’n I do!” Now, I wasn’t exactly happy with having to trust someone I didn’t know - but he was one of the itinerants that wandered around Skyrim, so it might be safe. At least I could get a bit farther on the horse than I’d be able to on my bleeding soles.... I took the sword, and the dagger in the bandit’s belt. Unfortunately his boots were huge - and the stink! Gods.... Well, the bugger didn’t have any coin either, damn it. Pretty poor at banditry.... “Thank you. That’s a kind offer. I have friends in Whiterun, I’ll be able to borrow some coin from them to pay you back and get home on.” So he hoisted me to the saddle, and set off again at a walk, down the road in front of the horse. I didn’t quite understand why he didn’t ride, but at this point I was just so happy to be off my feet I wasn’t going to argue over anything. “What’s your name?” He grinned over his shoulder. “Nobody ever asks me that! I’m called Telvar Stennis. I’m originally from Windhelm - but wandering and peddling is better than.... well....” He paused and then went on “I didn’t want to follow my da onto the sea.” Ah. Well, not everyone was suited to do what his or her parents did. As I knew only too well myself. My parents, unlike many though, were perfectly happy for me to find my own path in life. Of course, how they were going to react to me getting kidnapped from the Inn in Whiterun.... My eyes crossed a little as I thought that over. Before I headed for Hjaalmarch, I’d better talk to Ysolda.... |
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| Areial | Jan 15 2017, 08:32 PM Post #44 |
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Et'Ada
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Very nice... poor bandit indeed to not have at least one gold!! At least her feet won't get worse. |
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| neildarkstar | Jan 15 2017, 10:56 PM Post #45 |
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Overlord
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Yeah, I think Fort Sunguard is right... and you are also correct that Wolflore does indeed use phpbb. Funny your peddler turning up just then. I ran into a peddler just yesterday that was under attack by three very high level bandits. Alas, poor peddler... he did not survive even with my help. |
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| Serethil | Jan 15 2017, 10:57 PM Post #46 |
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Et'Ada
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Most of the peddlers don't survive. However.... this one was fodder for my tale.... |
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| Kane | Jan 17 2017, 11:20 AM Post #47 |
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Overlord
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Nice of the peddler to help out. I like the part about asking his name. Most people probably wouldn't bother with that. |
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| Serethil | Jan 17 2017, 08:33 PM Post #48 |
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Et'Ada
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8 - An’ it harm none? We spent the night under a tree - it was just too far to make Whiterun without sleep. My feet were - well, I couldn’t bear thinking about all the things that could be wrong. Obviously I was stupid for never learning even a small healing spell - and Telvar was all out of potions. I hoped Arcadia could help me.... The throbbing in my feet did a good job of keeping me awake. That wasn’t really a problem - I’d be sitting on the horse again, so wouldn’t be falling down with lack of sleep. As long as I was awake anyway, I started thinking back over the last few months to see if there was anything I could suss out that would make sense of being kidnapped and dropped in a hole. And at some point I went to sleep, throbbing feet and all. By midday Telvar was deep in trading mode with the Khajiiti group outside Whiterun’s walls, and I was hobbling first to Arcadia’s Cauldron. She looked up in shock, taking in my general state of disrepair, as well as me limping and leaving blood on the floor from my feet, hauled open her bedroom door and pushed me down on her bed. “Ah.... but I might have lice or something, where I’ve been! Just get me a hard chair....” “I will not. You just lay there while I see to your feet. And send to Ysolda.” Arcadia was as old nearly as my g’ma, but her hair was still dark except around the temples. And of course, being an alchemist of note, she kept her face as unwrinkled as possible. So she looked younger than either g’ma or Ysolda (also about the same age, but some of her life-choices.... hadn’t been - optimal....) Well. Alrighty then. She tended my feet, thrust a very expensive potion at me, held up a hand when I tried to say I hadn’t the money, saying “Just DRINK the damn thing!” and flounced off to the inn. I was out like a light before she was out her shop door. I woke far into the night. No one was in the shop or her private rooms - Arcadia must have stayed with Ysolda. My feet felt - well - more like feet. The rest of me was floating. What the HELLS had been in that potion? Or - was it still some residual part of whatever had been done to me? Gods I wanted to know just exactly what that had all been.... Well, not tonight, because muzziness swamped me under again. I kept feeling as if one of these times, I just wasn’t going to wake up. What was that g’ma used to say? An’ it harm none.... Not that she hadn’t done her share of harm - but that statement was more a homily to us as we grew to man- or woman-hood. After all, like most elders, she wanted her progeny to live - less disturbed, less actively violent lives.... And that was my last thought for a very long time. |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Jan 17 2017, 08:59 PM Post #49 |
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Jarl
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Sis! I love this!! I knew I would, with the start she had, but oh this is going to be fun!! Her family...oh dear lord, I can only imagine how they would react to what's happened, if the story goes that way. :D I like the peddler, and her knocking the crap out of the bandit highwayman. hehe |
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| Serethil | Jan 17 2017, 09:09 PM Post #50 |
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Et'Ada
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Oh hells yeah. Everyone from Veri through Ger to the rest of all of them - remember the hornet's nest. Of course - all that's not going to help her figure it out.... She'll have to do that on her own.... Thanks! |
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| Areial | Jan 18 2017, 01:30 AM Post #51 |
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Et'Ada
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Wonderful, great read! Good friends... I can only Imagine the family's response! |
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| Serethil | Jan 18 2017, 10:24 AM Post #52 |
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Et'Ada
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Thanks! That's a couple updates away - I think.... |
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| neildarkstar | Jan 18 2017, 12:24 PM Post #53 |
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Overlord
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:thumb: |
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| Serethil | Jan 18 2017, 09:37 PM Post #54 |
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Et'Ada
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9 - No answers? Really? When I woke again, it was mainly because my feet were doing the “healing itch” thing - which was good, as that meant I wasn’t going to lose one or both of them, but bad because I was near to scratching them raw again! I sat up shakily. There was another potion on the table next the bed. And a note that snarled (I could just hear Arcadia’s voice....) “DRINK THIS!”. So, I did. There was a tub of warm water set beside the bedroom fireplace, and a boiling kettle on the hob. I didn’t wait to ask - I poured the hot water into the tub, and submerged as far as I could. I sighed in ecstasy. Oh, clean.... there was NOTHING better than being clean. I soaped quickly, dunked to rinse, and then washed my filthy hair. I shouldn’t keep it so long, but well.... Once clean, I looked around for a towel. There was a stack between the bed and the tub, I grabbed one, stood and wrapped it around me, and then wrapped another one around my hair. As I climbed out of the tub, I realized there was a nice set of light armor hung from a hook on the back of the door. It looked like it would fit me. In for a copper, in for a gold. I put the armor on; it fit extremely well, and I felt Adrianne’s fingers in that fit. Gods, I was going to owe these folk so much. Well, it wouldn’t take me long to earn it.... At that point I heard a fuss in the shop. Stopping short of thrusting healing itching feet into the leather boots, I opened the door a crack - oh help.... It looked like everyone from g’ma and g’da down to Melki, my youngest brother, was here. Arcadia and Ysolda were backed against the shop counter, looking a little wild-eyed. I snickered internally, but opened the door and entered the shop, barefoot. I looked at my family, shook my head, and turned to my Whiterun friends. “Sorry this happened. I would have headed for home today, so they didn’t descend on you....” A snort from g’ma cut me off. “And you thought a message sent to us about your welfare here in the city wouldn’t get us here?” I looked up, startled. “What? From whom?” G’ma gazed around, and then back to me. “Ger. Did you bring the note?” “Aye. Here you go.” G’da handed it to g’ma - who looked at it as if she’d never seen a note before, and then handed it to me. I’m in Whiterun, and things aren’t going well. It seems every man’s hand is against me, and every woman’s as well. I don’t know what’s toward. I was hoping to be home in a couple of days. With love and honor to all of you, Tiercel My eyes had likely gone round as millwheels. I dropped the poisonous thing, and whispered “I didn’t send that. Who’s left at home? Enough to defend? Who?” The color fled g’ma’s face. “Your ma and da, Hedvard and his boys. The townsmen.” “You’d best get back as soon as you can. I’ll be along - faster and easier if you can leave me a horse, otherwise I’ll take the carriage. And gold - anyone got any to spare? Mine got - no - I’ll explain later. But I have debts now, including to the peddler who got me here on his horse, and to my friends here.” I shushed Arcadia and Ysolda with a hand-wave. G’da handed me a fairly heavy coin pouch. I kissed everyone, thanked them all, then shooed them out the door, hoping they’d get home before whatever happened.... happened. Someone had set this whole thing up very carefully - and the only possible reason that I could see right then was something for which that person needed my home empty. And that was a chilling thought entirely. I turned to my friends, whose eyes were as big as my own. “Ysolda - was there anyone - strange at the Mare the night I went missing?” She looked into her memory, I could tell, then shook her head. “No.... only you.” My forehead wrinkled. “Only me? But....” “I mean - you acted strange. You spoke to me - like normal. But your eyes were - somewhere else. You ate a little but nothing like you usually do, you drank a pint, and took a pint with you - which you don’t generally do - when you went up to bed. You left coin for the meal on the table - you don’t do that as a rule, nor do you leave coin for the room on the bed....” “So, I didn’t seem like someone you even knew?” “I.... that might be coming too strong. But you weren’t acting - like you always do....” I turned to Arcadia. “When I traded with you?” “You seemed normal to me. And also, to Adrianne - I asked her, after Ysolda told me how it was before you left.” “Something happened to me - somehow - between this shop, Kyne’s Temple, and the Mare.” Ysolda exclaimed, “Oh! I didn’t realize you’d talked to Danica. So no one asked her....” Arcadia took off at that and was presumably going to get Danica. A few minutes later, Danica strode in, followed by Arcadia. I explained the whole thing to her. She thought a bit, then said “I think I know what happened - if not why. You asked me for a cup of water, and I got you one. You drank it off - and then said it tasted odd. Before you came into the Temple, there had been a stranger - communing with Kyne, he said. It’s not unusual - especially since the new Tree has become so much more than the old one! But he was poking around all the areas.... and then he disappeared just as you came in. I think it likely that he hid in the dark corner behind the kitchen fountain - and when he heard you ask for water, he dropped something into one of the cups, setting it right where I would take it, fill it, and hand it to you.” I nodded slowly. “That would explain why I was not myself in the inn. How then did I get out of the inn? Well, I know you don’t know that.... Fine, thank you all. You will allow me to pay what I owe for care, and I will settle with Adrianne for the armor. Danica - if you see the man again....” “Oh yes - I will let you know. I think it’s not likely.... though.... hmm.” She went off into thought for a bit, then “Our new healer is very apt with pen and ink - she might be able to limn his features - if she talked with him at all. I will ask, and if it’s possible, send you a drawing.” “That would be very helpful. Thank you.” She bustled off to her temple, and I handed over gold to Arcadia. Ysolda refused any more - indicating I’d paid in full and a bit more that night. Then I carefully stuffed my feet into the boots, and limping only slightly, headed toward the gate and Adrianne’s shop. There I found her daughter Ariadne at work. Her mother she said was sleeping late. “Is she...” “She’ll be fine. She - ah - drank too much last night. She’s never been the same since Da died. And she sorrows over not being able to work the forge much any more....” “Ariadne, did you make this armor I’m wearing?” “Aye. Do you like it? If not, there’s other....” “I’m very happy with it. I need to settle up with you though as I have to head for home quickly.” So she quoted me a fair price, I haggled a bit as I knew she expected it, and then paid over the gold. I bid her farewell, asked that she tell Adrianne I’d see her soon, and headed for the stables and carriage. I needed home, soonest.... but I still didn’t have answers. Really. |
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| Areial | Jan 19 2017, 02:05 AM Post #55 |
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Et'Ada
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That's a great update! Holy Cow... someone has something not nice in mind... |
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| Serethil | Jan 19 2017, 10:34 AM Post #56 |
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Et'Ada
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Yep. The dreams part is long past now, so I'm just playing Tier a bit (chasing uniques to store at Revak rather than following anything in the way of quest lines - but I think I'm going to have to build Windstad and the mine so I can remember how its all laid out - might need that) and letting her tell me what's going on as I write.... |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Jan 19 2017, 07:08 PM Post #57 |
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Jarl
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Oh SO good Sis, and I hope she tracks the man down, before he starts on whoever is left at home! The mystery is wonderful! :thumb: |
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| Serethil | Jan 19 2017, 07:35 PM Post #58 |
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Et'Ada
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Thanks guys! It's fun to write, since it's a mystery to me too! I spent the day getting Windstad and the Mine built - not really "up and running", no need to go that far, but I definitely needed them available so I don't have to think about that stuff.... Of course the little houses for Tolf and Aranea aren't on the map (never were) - I just have to remember where I pretend-put them! |
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| Serethil | Jan 19 2017, 09:11 PM Post #59 |
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Et'Ada
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10 - But I have some other questions.... So I opted for the carriage, tying the horse the family left for me to the backboard - because I needed to think, and thinking on horseback might leave me open to further attacks if I wasn’t paying enough attention. While Bjorlam drove, my busy mind focused on all the oddness. How did the man have any idea I would be in Kyne’s Temple? Or was it sheerly a crime of opportunity? Had he initially planned to accost me on the road, or take me somehow from the inn room? How would he have managed that? Well, he had managed that - but I was unconscious from the drugging.... If I’d been aware, he’d probably not have done as well. He must have dropped me down off the small balcony after everyone was either drunk or asleep.... And what had happened to the rest of my gear? Ysolda didn’t have it. It wasn’t in the room. Of course, I hadn’t taken time to really look around that bandit lair - I had wanted out of there in the worst way, as fast as possible. Or had he taken it elsewhere himself - to hide for some reason? Or maybe he had just sold it - not to Adrianne though - she’d have recognized my bow if nothing else. I had another good one at home, but it wasn’t the one which had traveled with me for nearly all my adult life - after I got tough enough and strong enough to pull her.... At that point, I nodded off to sleep - which I was still doing with alarming frequency. Arcadia had said something.... but when I woke again, I couldn’t remember what she had said. Something about my body needing to complete repairs maybe. Still, I did feel a bit better - that was helpful at the very least. Midday of the second day out of Whiterun, I strode into Highmoon Hall. G’ma and g’da were there, standing around the map table with Hedvard, and ma and da as well. They looked up, motioned me over, and finished what they’d been about. Then ma and da took me aside to fill me in on what was happening. Which according to them, was nothing - other than everyone worrying over me, and also over whatever might be happening in Hjaalmarch. The cousins were out patrolling - all of them, even the ones I might privately think are too young - and I wouldn’t EVER say that aloud! No one had seen anything that shouldn’t be there. At least not yet. But my mind insisted on seeing that damnable note - that had pulled far too many of the family away from home, for probably long enough to let the snake worm his way in. Somewhere. And suddenly.... I knew. He’d be at Windstad - where I mostly lived to myself since ma and da had built a house right in Morthal, and since g’ma and g’da now lived at Highmoon Hall. I would need to go out to the mine first, to see if Torvik, Tovis’s son, had seen anything amiss. I was the one who would need to deal with this. And truth to tell, I wanted to skewer the bastard, and then split him crotch to pate. How I would manage that with a bow and arrows was another question! But still, at bottom were the only questions - or the only important ones: who is this person, and why is he hunting me? Edited by Serethil, Jan 19 2017, 09:17 PM.
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Jan 19 2017, 09:30 PM Post #60 |
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Jarl
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Dang, I found myself getting angry for her! You do that, you pull at the reader's emotions so well. Great update! :D |
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